Improvement in vehicle-wheels



W. 6.10HNSON.

Vehicle-Wheels.

Patented Sept. 15,1874.

THE GRAPH": CU. PHDYO 41141.39! 4| PARK UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEWILLIAM G. JOHNSON, OF DOWNINGTOWN, PA., ASSIGNOR TO THE CHESTER VALLEYWHEEL AND AXLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,092, datedSeptember 15, 1874; application filed July 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. J oHNsoN, of Downingtown, Chester county,Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Wheels for Vehicles, ofwhich the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to produce a wooden-hubbed wheel forvehicles, which can be more readily and accurately fitted together thanthose of ordinary construction, and which shall be cheaper, lighter, andmore elastic than wheels having hubs of metal. I attain this object byconstructing the wooden hub in two separate sections, A and A, securedtogether and to the spokes B by screw-bolts D, as shown in the sectionalview, Figure 1, of the accompanying drawing, the said spokes being alsoheld in place by dowel-pins E, extending between them and into theopposite sections of the hubs, as shown in the detached view, Fig. 2.

In ordinary wooden wheels the hub is made in one piece, having radialmortises at about the center of its length, into which the spokes aredriven separately.

The mortising of the hub and the driving of the spokes are bothoperations requiring eonsiderable time and the employment of skilledlabor, for the greatest care must be exercised in lining and spacing thespokes for attach ment to the fellies. These difficulties have beenovercome in a measure by constructing the hub of metal, and in two'ormore sections, between which the spokes are clamped, but such metal hubsare heavy and expensive, and detract from the elasticity of the wheel.

In building up my improved wheel, I bind the spokes together, as shownin Fig. 3, in their proper relative positions, and thensimply clamp thembetween the wooden sections A and A of the hub, the inner faces of whichare turned perfectly smooth and true, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, so thatthey may bear equally against the opposite edges of the spokes, thelatter and the sections of the hub being held in place partly by theclamping-screws D and partly by the dowel-pins E, which extend betweenthe said spokes, in the manner best observed in Fig. 8.

By this method of construction I combine the advantages and do away withthe disadvantages of both the wooden and metal wheels. In the presentinstance the heads a of the clamping-bolts are let into a metal ring,I), which encircles the section A of the hub, but this ring may, ifdesired, be dispensed with, and the said bolts be continued out quite tothe end of the section. Rivets may, if desired, be substituted for thescrew-bolts D, but I prefer the latter.

Any suitable form of axle-box may be driven through the sections of thewooden hub. In the present instance I have illustrated an ordinarytapering box, d.

I do not desire to claim, broadly, a wheel having a wooden hub made intwo sections confined to the spokes; but

I claim as my invention- In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of a woodenhub, made in two separate sections, A and A, a series of spokes, B, andclampingbolts D, passing longitudinally through the said sections andbetween the spokes, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my namev to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. 0. JOHNSON. Witnesses: WM. A. STEEL, HARRY SMITH.

